My self-drive journey through Kyrgyzstan was a first-time experience in more ways than one. For the first time, I was driving a left-hand-drive car on the right-hand side of the road. That unfamiliar driving position added its own excitement to a country that already felt entirely new.
Beginning in Bishkek
We flew into Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Our group consisted of approximately twenty-five people from different parts of India, all brought together by the idea of seeing the country from the road rather than through the window of a tour bus.
The journey lasted six days, beginning and ending in Bishkek. There was something satisfying about that circular rhythm: setting out from the capital, allowing the landscapes and experiences to unfold, and eventually returning to where we had started.
Six days. Twenty-five travellers. One remarkable country—and a road journey I would happily repeat.
Learning a different way to drive
In India, I was accustomed to a right-hand-drive vehicle and driving on the left side of the road. Kyrgyzstan reversed both habits. Sitting on the other side of the car and keeping to the other side of the road demanded attention at first. Familiar movements suddenly had to be reconsidered.
But that challenge soon became part of the pleasure. A self-drive journey creates a different relationship with a place: the road is no longer simply the distance between destinations. It becomes part of the story.
Roads that seemed to belong to us
What struck me most was the openness. The roads were wonderfully quiet, and the scenery seemed to stretch without interruption. There was greenery, mountain country and a sense of nature on a scale that is difficult to capture in a few words.
Driving through that landscape gave us the freedom to absorb it gradually. There was no feeling of rushing from one attraction to the next. The beauty was present throughout the journey—in the road ahead, in the surrounding terrain and in the changing light.
Around Lake Issyk-Kul
One of the great highlights was travelling around Lake Issyk-Kul. Its expanse, framed by the Kyrgyz landscape, made it more than a stop on the itinerary. It became one of the visual anchors of the entire drive.
What matters most in my memory is the experience of being there: the open road, the vast lake and the mountains around it. Issyk-Kul brought together everything I loved about the journey—space, nature and the freedom of travelling at our own pace.
Inside local life
The journey was not only about driving. We stayed with local people and had the opportunity to experience their culture at close quarters. Hospitality turned unfamiliar surroundings into something warm and personal.
We watched traditional songs, dances and performances. These were not simply items on a sightseeing checklist; they were moments when the country introduced itself through its people.
We also witnessed traditional falcon hunting. Seeing the relationship between handler, bird and landscape was unforgettable—a living practice that carried the history of the region into the present.
A journey I would repeat
By the time we returned to Bishkek, the unfamiliar car no longer felt quite so unfamiliar. The six days had combined driving, nature and genuine interaction with local communities in a way that made Kyrgyzstan particularly memorable.
I did not merely visit the country. I experienced it from the road and, in small but meaningful ways, from within. That is why I would love to do the journey again.